Troops of the Nigerian Army have
killed more than 300 Boko Haram fighters during an operation to
recapture towns since the start of the week, the military said.
A statement by defence spokesman, Major-General Chris Olukolade, said that the army arrested many of the insurgents, recovered and destroyed weapons and other war equipment.
It, however, revealed that two soldiers lost their lives while 10 others were wounded.
“We also captured several towns which include Monguno, Gabchari, Abba Jabari, Zuntur, Gajigana, Gajiram, Damakar, Kumaliwa, Bosso Wanti, Jeram and Kabrisungul,” Olukolade added.
Olukolade said troops also seized five armoured fighting vehicles, an anti-aircraft gun, 50 cases of bombs, eight different types of machine guns, some 50 cases of ammunition and 300 motorcycles the rebels used in launching attacks.
Cameroon, Chad Forces In Joint Operation
Cameroonian forces supported by Chad’s air force carried out air strikes and used heavy artillery weapon against Boko Haram in the village of Gourgouroon, on the Nigeria-Cameroon border, Cameroon army spokesman Colonel Didier Badjeck said.
Boko Haram’s relentless attacks on military and civilians have killed thousands since the group launched its violent campaign for a breakaway Islamic state in mid-2009.
But in the past two weeks, the tide has appeared to turn against the group as neighbouring Chad, Cameroon and Niger, all of whom are plagued by Boko Haram insurgents, have weighed in.
Shekau threatens to sdisrupt presidential election in new video
Leader of the Boko Haram sect, Abubakr Shekau, has declared that the presidential election slated to hold on March 28 will not take place peacefully, in a new video purportedly released by the group.
In the video, released on social media and obtained by US-based SITE intelligence group, Shekau issued a warning to the President Jonathan government – that next month’s elections would be disrupted with violence.
“Allah will not leave you to proceed with these elections even after us, because you are saying that authority is from people to people which means that people should rule each other, but Allah says that the authority is only to him; only his rule is the one which applies on this land,” he said. And, finally, we say that these elections that you are planning to do will not happen in peace, even if that costs us our lives.
In the video message, entitled, “A message to the Leaders of the Disbelievers”, the contents of which Al Jazeera has obtained, Shekau also takes aim at the leadership of regional countries who are co-coordinating efforts against the group.
“You are claiming that we don’t know how to fight, but we forced your forces to flee from their bases and we freed our imprisoned brothers from the prisons that you oppressed them in; only praise is to Allah.”
Speaking before Shekau’s threat, Niger’s President Mahamadou Issoufou vowed that his country would herald the end for the rebels, whose six-year insurgency has cost more than 13,000 lives.
“Niger will be the death of Boko Haram,” he told a cheering crowd after a protest against the insurgents in the capital Niamey.
Air strike kills 37 mourners in Niger village
At least 37 mourners at a funeral ceremony were killed and several others wounded when an unidentified plane bombarded Abadam village in Niger near the Nigerian border.
Confirming the incident to Hausa service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), a village head, Ibrahim Ari, said many were killed and several others injured.
The strike came as Niger takes part in a regional offensive against Boko Haram fighters who have extended their brutal six-year insurgency to Niger, Chad and Cameroon.
A Niger army report obtained by the agency that gave the death toll said the plane’s “origins remained undetermined.”
“The victims were residents attending a mourning ceremony for a prefecture official,” a humanitarian source said, adding that the attack was near a mosque in Abadam, Niger.
“At first we thought it was a blunder by Chad or Niger’s army, but now we suspect the Nigerian army is responsible,” said leader from Bosso in Niger.
The leader said a similar air strike several days ago on the nearby village of Gamgara killed one person.
Debunking the allegation, Nigeria’s defence spokesman, Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade told the BBC that the army was not aware that a Nigerian plane bombarded mourners in Abadam, Niger.
“It’s not to my knowledge and there has not been any report from our people of such an incident,” he said
A statement by defence spokesman, Major-General Chris Olukolade, said that the army arrested many of the insurgents, recovered and destroyed weapons and other war equipment.
It, however, revealed that two soldiers lost their lives while 10 others were wounded.
“We also captured several towns which include Monguno, Gabchari, Abba Jabari, Zuntur, Gajigana, Gajiram, Damakar, Kumaliwa, Bosso Wanti, Jeram and Kabrisungul,” Olukolade added.
Olukolade said troops also seized five armoured fighting vehicles, an anti-aircraft gun, 50 cases of bombs, eight different types of machine guns, some 50 cases of ammunition and 300 motorcycles the rebels used in launching attacks.
Cameroon, Chad Forces In Joint Operation
Cameroonian forces supported by Chad’s air force carried out air strikes and used heavy artillery weapon against Boko Haram in the village of Gourgouroon, on the Nigeria-Cameroon border, Cameroon army spokesman Colonel Didier Badjeck said.
Boko Haram’s relentless attacks on military and civilians have killed thousands since the group launched its violent campaign for a breakaway Islamic state in mid-2009.
But in the past two weeks, the tide has appeared to turn against the group as neighbouring Chad, Cameroon and Niger, all of whom are plagued by Boko Haram insurgents, have weighed in.
Shekau threatens to sdisrupt presidential election in new video
Leader of the Boko Haram sect, Abubakr Shekau, has declared that the presidential election slated to hold on March 28 will not take place peacefully, in a new video purportedly released by the group.
In the video, released on social media and obtained by US-based SITE intelligence group, Shekau issued a warning to the President Jonathan government – that next month’s elections would be disrupted with violence.
“Allah will not leave you to proceed with these elections even after us, because you are saying that authority is from people to people which means that people should rule each other, but Allah says that the authority is only to him; only his rule is the one which applies on this land,” he said. And, finally, we say that these elections that you are planning to do will not happen in peace, even if that costs us our lives.
In the video message, entitled, “A message to the Leaders of the Disbelievers”, the contents of which Al Jazeera has obtained, Shekau also takes aim at the leadership of regional countries who are co-coordinating efforts against the group.
“You are claiming that we don’t know how to fight, but we forced your forces to flee from their bases and we freed our imprisoned brothers from the prisons that you oppressed them in; only praise is to Allah.”
Speaking before Shekau’s threat, Niger’s President Mahamadou Issoufou vowed that his country would herald the end for the rebels, whose six-year insurgency has cost more than 13,000 lives.
“Niger will be the death of Boko Haram,” he told a cheering crowd after a protest against the insurgents in the capital Niamey.
Air strike kills 37 mourners in Niger village
At least 37 mourners at a funeral ceremony were killed and several others wounded when an unidentified plane bombarded Abadam village in Niger near the Nigerian border.
Confirming the incident to Hausa service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), a village head, Ibrahim Ari, said many were killed and several others injured.
The strike came as Niger takes part in a regional offensive against Boko Haram fighters who have extended their brutal six-year insurgency to Niger, Chad and Cameroon.
A Niger army report obtained by the agency that gave the death toll said the plane’s “origins remained undetermined.”
“The victims were residents attending a mourning ceremony for a prefecture official,” a humanitarian source said, adding that the attack was near a mosque in Abadam, Niger.
“At first we thought it was a blunder by Chad or Niger’s army, but now we suspect the Nigerian army is responsible,” said leader from Bosso in Niger.
The leader said a similar air strike several days ago on the nearby village of Gamgara killed one person.
Debunking the allegation, Nigeria’s defence spokesman, Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade told the BBC that the army was not aware that a Nigerian plane bombarded mourners in Abadam, Niger.
“It’s not to my knowledge and there has not been any report from our people of such an incident,” he said
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